Blue Moon
by timeturnings
Summary: When five are lost, five will be gained. A new soul will be ignited as another falls. Be ready, for the darkness is rising.
1. The Sign

**Prologue**

A frigid wind raked its cold claws through the trees, causing the cats hidden inside to burrow further into their knothole nests.

The only thing that stirred besides the rattling branches in the icy gusts was a sleek black she-cat. She stood tall against the wind as if she could overpower Mother Nature herself. In three powerful bounds, Ebony reached the top tier of an old park fountain where she often addressed the Willoting gang from. To a twoleg, it would look like just an old fountain, but to the cats of Willoting Gang it was Iceledge, named after the rainwater that collected and froze in the winter. But slipping to her death was the least of Ebony's worries; her children had just been killed.

Ebony's impossibly deep amber eyes gazed mournfully at Startail, the strip of stars where the gang's dead cats went. She noticed with a stab of anguish that five new stars glowed coldly above: Spiral, Camille, and Pepper were walking in Startail now, watching over her kits, Grace and Jackal. They had only been apprentices… they'd never become fighters now.

Ebony heard pawsteps behind her and smelled poppy seed. Sure enough, her Starwalker and also brother, Storm, leapt up next to her panting. "Fern had her kits!" The muscular brown tom exclaimed with an excited glow in his amber eyes. "Two beautiful kits. Arya and Rabbit." His mew grew clouded with quiet worry. "But Rabbit was born blind…"

Ebony only nodded, not taking her eyes away from Startail. Storm noticed her silence and patted her shoulder comfortingly.

"The Brightstars will watch over them. Grace and Jackal will be cared for." Sympathy burned in his quiet mew, but Ebony only nodded again. Her heart was too hollow to feel anything.

Sighing, Storm turned to go. Suddenly his body went rigid and he let out a horrified gasp.

Ebony whipped around just in time to grab him by the scruff as Storm tottered unsteadily on the edge of the sheer drop into the icy water below.

"Storm?" She cried worriedly. When the Starwalker didn't respond, she began to panic. "Storm? ! Whats happened?"

Then Storm opened his silver-flecked muzzle and let out a bloodcurdling wail. Ebony shivered away from the terrifying noise. In a voice that was not his own, Storm began to speak.

"_When five are lost, five will be gained. A new soul will be ignited as another falls. Be ready, for the darkness is rising."_

And with that, the Starwalker collapsed.


	2. Amature

**Chapter 1**

The Bailey Junkyard clearing was packed. Hulking, battle-scarred cats bumped and snarled at each other. Rylie even felt some cat snap at her tail as he wove between the hostile cats. Ducking between two monstrous toms, Talon and Adder, she made it to the front of the crowd just as Killer began speaking.

"Silence!" Snarled the black tom viciously. Immediately, the cats around Rylie quieted. She saw her sister, Willow, slip out of the apprentice den across the clearing. Blitz, Rylie's other sister, was already crouched next to her staring at the deputy, Athos, with huge, moony eyes. Rylie snorted at the silver and black she-cat's unlikely crush. They were only kits! Shaking her head, Rylie looked back at Willow. When the cream she-cat caught her sister's yellow eyes and waved her over, Willow gave a quick nod and slipped into the crowd.

Killer was pacing Rustrock, a large lump of deformed, rusting monster. With a piercing emerald stare, he turned back to his gang.

"I'm not going to waste my precious time sugarcoating the problem." He hissed maliciously, his scarred black ears flat against his scull. "You've allowed those worthless Minnintons to take the Nightstones!" Killer's yowl shook Rylie to her bones.

"The Nightstones are incredibly important to the Bailey gang. And do you know why?" Killer didn't wait for an answer. "Because it is the only fertile soil on Bailey land! The only place Angel and Ferret can grow their herbs! The place of our spiritual connections! And you've allowed that Minninton scum to _steal it_!" his cold green eyes were slitted and he gave each cat a sharp, smoldering glare.

Lavolta, Killer's mate, swept up the Rustrock gracefully. She leaned over and began whispering something in his ear. The leader's eyes clouded with worry, then annoyance, then blinding fury. Whatever Lavolta was telling him wasn't good.

With a satisfied smirk, the pretty tortoiseshell queen turned and leapt off the Rustrock and sauntered back into the nursery.

The clearing was quiet. Willow slipped silently next to Rylie and they exchanged a look. The Bailey Junkyarders were famous (well, more _in_famous) for many things, but prolonged silence wasn't one of them. Blitz tore her gaze away from the silver deputy and leaned over to Rylie.

"What's going on?" She hissed quietly.

Willow shrugged, not taking her eyes away from the seethingly silent Rustrock. "Shh, he's going to say something…"

Killer was glowering at the entrance to the nursery, like it was Lavolta's fault that he'd gotten bad news. Whatever the bad news was, anyway.

Suddenly he drew in a deep breath and continued speaking.

"We have three new apprentices today. Willow, Blitz, and Rylie please approach the Rustrock."

Willow turned, yellow eyes wide with shock, to Rylie and Blitz, who both had similar expressions. _What? !_

"Willow, Blitz, and Rylie." Killer yowled, his voice stronger. "If you wouldn't mind, I have other things I'd like to do today!"

Shaken, the three she-kits padded up to the base of Rustrock.

"Willow, step forward." The fluffy grey she-cat took and small step away from her sisters to stand in front of Killer. "From this day forward, until you receive Fighter status, you shall be addressed as a formal apprentice. Your mentor shall be Lucy."

The small grey she-cat touched eyes with her long-furred white mentor. Lucy gave a small smile to Willow; this was her first apprentice.

"Blitz, step forward." Blitz was already bouncing excitedly under Killer's nose before he'd even called her name. When he let out a small growl, the silver she-cat calmed herself and folded her black-striped haunches neatly. With a sigh, Killer continued. "Blitz, from this day forward, until you reach Fighter status, you shall be formally addressed as an apprentice. Your mentor shall be Adder."

The intimidating copper tom stepped forward and touched noses with the subdued Blitz. His cold yellow eyes seemed to warmed as Blitz had to stand on her black-striped haunches to reach his nose. The silver she-cat grinned and sat with her thawed mentor.

"Rylie." Killer had to say her name again to get her attention. She'd been focused on Adder and Blitz, and snapped back to the annoyed leader's voice.

With shaky paws, she stepped up to him. Raising her amber eyes to his dark green ones, shivers wracked her small cream-and-grey striped body. He smelled of death.

"Rylie, from this day forward, until you achieve Fighter status, you shall be formally known as an apprentice." He paused, letting his icy gaze wander over the assembled cats. Rylie tensed as he caught Athos's dark gold gaze and the toms seemed to have a silent argument.

Athos was obviously trying to dissuade Killer of something, but Killer was insistent. Finally the slim silver tom growled under his breath and looked away in defeat.

Eyes glittering with victory, Killer turned back to Rylie. "Your mentor will be Athos."

As she reached up to touch noses with the handsome silver tom, Rylie was taken aback by the strong emotions in his eyes. There was anger, frustration, and something she didn't recognize. But it was strong. Very strong. And somehow it was directed at her.

"We'll lead an attack at dawn." Killer was yowling. "I want all fighters and apprentices to see Ferret or Angel to get strengthening herbs and to eat something." With a final flick of his black tail, Killer bounded off of Rustrock.

The clearing was filled with activity and meowing immediately.

Rylie raise her terrified eyes to Athos. "I have to_ fight? _But I just became an apprentice!" She squeaked in fright. Willow, Blitz and their mentors were leading them to Ferret's den for herbs already.

Athos shrugged. "I'll try to teach you a bit before we leave and you can just try to stay out of the fighting."

And with that, the silver tom, her only protection, turned and disappeared into the crowd, leaving Rylie with muddled with her own confusion and terror.


	3. The Battle of Nightstones

_**Hey there, Fanfictioners! Just wanted to make a quick shoutout to all the people who helped me come up with this storyline: **_

_**First, I'd like to thank the author of **_**City Kitties. **_**I loved your story so much, it inspired this story to be in a city instead of countryside :) much thanks!**_

_**Secondly, I'd like to thank the 35 people who sent in names. The clan list below wouldn't exist without you! You're ah-mazing ;) thank you.**_

_**So that's it! Enjoy chapter 2!**_

_**-V**_

**Willoting Gang:**

**Alpha:** Ebony- pretty black she-cat with brown paws and ear tips. Sharp amber eyes. Kits: Wily. Mate: Nico

**Beta:** Sage- slender white she-cat with cream and light brown spots, light brown muzzle, tailtip, and paws. Pretty blue eyes. Apprentice: Arya

**Starwalker:** Storm- dark brown tom with amber eyes.

**Starwalker To-be:** Star- soft white she-cat with sapphire-blue eyes and gold spots around her paws.

**Junior Starwalker To-be: **Rabbit- ginger tom with black stripes and blue blind eyes. Arya's brother.

**Fighters:**

1. Wet- sleek pale grey tom with bright blue eyes.

2. Bliss- dark ginger she-cat with blue eyes. Apprentice: Cora

3. Belle- beautiful tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes. Apprentice: Wolf

4. Egret- all-white tom with a single grey-blue stripe down his spine.

5. Reni- long-furred golden she-cat with glowing green eyes. Apprentice: Ice

6. Nico- crazily striped red, brown, and black tom with clever amber eyes. Apprentice: Wily

7. Silentsong- silver she-cat with thin black stripes icy blue eyes. _Very_quiet.

8. Shadow- black tom with dark blue eyes and one white paw.

9. Edmund- smoky grey and white tabby tom with amber eyes. Apprentice:

10. Guinevere (Gwen)- small white-gold she cat with black paws and ears. Dark green eyes.

11. Hawk- black tom with dark green eyes. Apprentice: Fallon.

12. Onyx- multi-colored tabby she-cat with amber eyes

13. Night- sleek white she-cat with black tail and dark amber eyes

14. Mittens- fluffy grey she-cat with soft white feet

15. Davie- ginger and brown spotted tom with dark green eyes.

16. Fern- white she-cat with grey paws and belly with green eyes. Mate: Edmund.

**Apprentices:**

1. Cora- pretty blue-grey she-cat with grey eyes.

2. Wolf- sleek, black tom. Dark brown paws, muzzle, and underbelly. Icy hazel eyes.

3. Ice- muscular white tom with jagged silver stripes across his whole body. Wolf's brother.

4. Wily- dark grey tom with silver spots and amber eyes. Ebony's only kit.

5. Fallon- silver she-cat with thin dark brown stripes and emerald eyes.

6. Arya- white she-cat with silver tabby markings around her icy blue eyes

Kit-Mothers:

1. Petal- white she-cat with ginger splotches and blue eyes. Mate- Hawk. Kits: Shine (white she-cat with ginger spots and green eyes) Sparrow (brown tom with black spots and amber eyes)

**Elders:**

1. Shimmertail- pretty brown she cat with a white tail. Bright blue eyes.

**Bailey Junkyarders:**

**Alpha:** Killer- large, sleek black tom with dark-brown paws, ears, and spots on back. Cold green eyes.

**Beta:** Athos- slim silver tabby tom with dark gold eyes. Riddled with scars, and has a kinked tail. Apprentice: Rylie

**Starwalker:** Ferret- small bitter brown tom with sunken amber eyes

**Starwalker To-be:** Angel- sleek black she-cat with glowing yellow eyes and a large scar over left eye (half-blind, but powerful)

**Fighters:**

Claw- brown tom with jagged black stripes, amber eyes, and long sharp claws. Apprentice: Minx

Finch- grey she-cat with mottled silver spots and green eyes. Apprentice: Jag

Tree- dark brown tom with reddish-brown spots around paws. Bright green eyes.

Wisp- light brown she-cat with defined white stripes and icy blue eyes. Apprentice: Violet

Lucy- long-furred white she-cat with gold flecked chest and green eyes. Apprentice: Willow

Misto- sleek black tom with white chest and underbelly. Dark amber eyes.

Tiger- ginger tom with thin black stripes and a white underbelly and paws. Dark amber eyes. Apprentice: Brooke

Talon- red-brown tom with dark amber eyes and white spots on haunches.

Huckleberry- long-furred brown tom with green eyes.

Finnie- long-furred golden-brown she-cat with blue eyes. Huckleberry's sister.

Lavender- light brown she-cat with light blue eyes.

Adder- muscular copper tom with a black arrowhead-shaped mark on his forehead. Apprentice: Blitz

Aaron- dark gold tom with black stripes across flanks and icy yellow eyes

Mariah- sleek grey and silver she-cat with acid-green eyes. Apprentice: Ginger

Hazelle- spotted brown and white she-cat with grey eyes. Mate: Tiger.

**Apprentices:**

1. Minx- small ginger she-cat with amber eyes and a long scar running down left cheek. Jag's sister.

2. Jag- large black tom with icy grey eyes. Multiple scars across muzzle, chest, and legs. Minx's brother.

3. Violet- tiny black cat with dark blue-purple eyes and a long scar running down her right hind leg.

4. Brooke- sleek grey she-cat with hazel eyes and white paws. Scars along flanks.

5. Ginger- spunky ginger she-cat with a torn tail and sullen grey eyes.

6. Willow- fluffy, smokey grey she-cat with sharp yellow eyes. Rylie and Blitz's sister.

7. Blitz- snowy white she-cat black striped tail and legs. Willow and Rylie's sister.

8. Rylie- cream she-kit with light grey stripes and amber eyes. Willow and Blitz's sister.

**Kit-Mothers:**

Jinx- pretty dark ginger she cat with bushy red-and-white tail with amber eyes. Jag and Minx's mother. Mate: Tree. Kits: Fox (dark ginger tom with all white tail and brown eyes) Nadia (petite light brown she-cat with white paws and blue eyes) Riffle- black tom with green eyes and white front left paw. Has a nicked ear.

Lavolta- tiny calico she-cat with amber eyes. Mate: Killer.

**Elders:**

1. Rowan- orangy-brown tom with a huge black spot over left eye. Blind green eyes.

**Minninton Farm Cats:**

**Alpha:** Snow- pure white she-cat, has a large silvery-grey spot that covers the left side of her face. Has bright green eyes and a long slender tail.

**Beta:** Lily- grey she-cat with black paws and very light blue eyes.

**Starwalker**: Spot- white tom with black spot over left eye and along spine. Deep amber eyes.

**Starwalker To-be:** Wheat- pretty light brown she-cat

**Fighters:**

1. Hare- muscular dark brown tom with blue eyes. Apprentice: Reis

2. Ruby- black she cat with reddish-brown streaks and amber eyes.

3. Yew- golden she-cat with bright green eyes.

4. Cricket- brown tom with white stripes across his flanks. Dark green eyes. Apprentice: Hannah

5. Stephanie- fluffy black she-cat with yellow eyes. One ginger paw.

6. Rory- light red tom with ginger tabby markings and blue eyes. Apprentice: Katie

7. Willa- calico she-cat with green eyes. Apprentice: Zirock.

8. Nicole- golden she-cat splotched with brown. Blue eyes and white paws.

9. Blaze- flame-colored tom with intense green eyes

10. Raven- sleek black tom with battle-scarred ears. Apprentice: Mist

11. Hayley- pretty golden she-cat with brown eyes and brown tabby markings.

12. Kai- dark brown tom with jagged grey stripes across nose. Apprentice: Bouie

13. Nicosia- exotic black she-cat with blue eyes and a grey muzzle

14. Sprite- all-white she-cat with sparkling green eyes. Apprentice: Saber

15. Ivan- spotted grey, black, and white tom with shaggy fur and green eyes.

16. Andrea- white-gold she-cat with hazel eyes. Mate: Raven.

**Apprentices:**

1. Reis: brown she-cat with amber eyes. Has a long scar on nose.

2. Hannah- sandy-colored she-cat with bright blue eyes.

3. Katie- blue-grey she-cat with brown eyes. White front paws.

4. Mist- misty blue she-cat with glowing green eyes

5. Bouie- jaggedly striped tom with red-brown eyes.

6. Zirock- brown tabby tom with white paws, chest, and tailtip with green eyes. Saber's brother.

7. Saber- dark silver tabby tom with unusually blue eyes and white paws

**Kit-Mothers:**

1. Autumn- auburn she-cat with dark blue eyes. Mate: Ivan. Kits: Little (dark gold tom with brown eyes) Shanna (sleek blue-black she-cat with dark blue eyes and white underbelly) Whisper (sandy-gold she-cat with brown stripes and hazel eyes)

2. Moon- pale grey she-cat with glowing blue eyes. Mate: Blaze. Kits: Feather (silvery she-kit with bright blue eyes) Frost (pure white she-kit with lively green eyes) Badger (black-and-white striped tom with dark blue eyes)

**Elders:**

Turtle- dark grey and silver splotched tom with dark brown eyes.

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It was impossibly cold.

His paws felt raw, his nose was dry, and he shuddered with each breath. _Why do we have to be here? _He thought frustratedly. _What's going on?_

As if she could hear the apprentice's thoughts, his mentor, Willa, laid her tail comfortingly on his shivering shoulders.

"I'm as confused as you are." Her mew was hushed, as though she didn't feel safe speaking out. "I don't know why Snow would want this worthless pile of rock, anyway."

The brown tabby tom wrapped his tail tighter around his white paws. "But Willa," He rasped, his throat aching from the cold air. "I've only been an apprentice for half-a-moon. How could I possibly be ready to go into _battle?_" His vivid green eyes were wide with anxiety and fear.

Willa shook her tawny-colored head. "I really don't know, Zirock." She gazed around the assembled cats with a mournful glint in her usually vibrant green eyes. There was nothing more she hated than innocent cats dying.

"_Willa!" _Came a seething hiss. "_Get back to your position!"_

The gentle calico shot her brother, Blaze, a glare. The flame colored tom stared back evenly, his expression dark and forceful.

"Just try to keep quiet, ok?" She said to Zirock, her mouth set in a firm line. "Or Lily will get on your case faster than she would a mouse in leaf-bare." When her shivering apprentice nodded, she turned and padded back to her position in the ranks of warriors.

Once his mentor was out of sight, Zirock felt his terror rise perilously in his throat. He needed someone to vent to, or he'd explode. Desperate for someone to talk to, the brown tom turned to his brother. But Saber beat him to it.

"Snow's _crazy!" _He exploded furiously. Zirock flinched slightly at his brother's angry blue eyes; Saber was usually so calm and collected.

"I mean, she takes these worthless rocks for no apparent reason, and then tells all of _us, _untrained apprentices, and tired, hungry warriors, to come and lay down our lives for them, and on top of all that,_" _The muscled silver tom tore at the snow underpaw. "She won't even tell us why! She's crazier than a badger, she more ruthless than a fox, and she's as ugly as a-_." _Saber's whisper rose perilously loud and Zirock slapped his tail over his brother's mouth before anyone could overhear.

An older apprentice, Katie, turned around and flashed them a deadly glare. The brothers immediately quieted.

It was only then, in that serene stillness, that Zirock could hear the crunching.

It was a slow, tentative sound, almost as though the cat walking along didn't want to be heard. Zirock soon found out why.

A horde of Bailey Junkyarders were closing in slowly on their hiding spot.

The feeling in Zirock's stomach became as icy as the air he was breathing. They were only a tail length away from the bushes. The Minninton cats all stiffened as a dark brown tom came sniffing around the base of the brush by Nicole. The small golden she cat bit her lip and held in a whimper. The brown tom got closer and then-

"Attack!" Snow's yowl ripped through the air and the Minninton Farm cats leapt, yowling, out of the brush.

The rocks erupted in screeches.

Zirock felt his brother peel away from him and leap at a grey she-cat. Snarling, they rolled across the pebble-littered floor. The silver tom was out of sight before Zirock could see what happened.

Pain exploded in his side as Talon slammed into him. He felt the red-brown tom rake his claws up his ribs. Blackness blurred his vision and he coughed as he got a mouthful of snow. He desperately tried to call upon what Willa had taught him, but all he could remember was her telling him not to eat deathberries.

Panic flashed through him as he struggled. _He's going to kill me! _He thought wildly.

Suddenly, Talon got up and dashed off.

Zirock felt someone pulling him back by his scruff. He caught sight of a grey paw as he was dragged backwards. For a moment he thought it had been Saber who had saved him, but as the cat released him into the safety of the bushes, he saw it was not his brother at all.

A small cream she-cat with grey paws was crouched next to him. Her sides heaved and she panted laboriously. A small sparkle of merriment in her amber eyes told him she was a Bailey; they all loved the action of battle with a passion.

Confusion clouded his mind; Why had she saved him? Baileys weren't helpful, much less merciful. His debating must have shown on his face, because the she-cat's eyes flickered with amusement.

"I bet you're wondering why I saved you." She had a beautiful mew, smooth and warm like cream. "I don't know why myself. I just saw you struggling with Talon and felt compelled to help you. I hope you don't mind…" She trailed off, glancing awkwardly at her grey paws. Zirock struggled to say something, to thank her, but he couldn't find his voice.

The she-cat let out a sigh and stared through the leaves at the battle. The once pristine, white, snow was now stained red with blood and speckled with bits of different colored fur. Cats clawed and writhed with each other, screams of fury bouncing off the rocks.

"Th-thank you." Zirock finally found his tongue. "I appreciate you helping me." He winced at his superior-sounding mew and immediately tried to soften it. "I'm Zirock, by the way."

Her amber eyes softened. "I'm Rylie."

"That's a pretty name."

Their eyes connected and they stood, transfigured, staring at each other. He could help but notice how beautiful she was…

"Bailey Junkyarders RETREAT!" Screeched Killer. His nose was sliced open and droplets of blood spattered the snow as he streaked away from the boulders. "RETREAT!"

A wild flurry of cats, sending one last sharp blow to their opponent, wriggled away from their battles and streaked after him.

Rylie's eyes darted away from his. Her mew was frantic when she spoke. "I have to go, it was nice meeting you!"

She turned and was about to run after her gang, but Zirock suddenly reached out and grabbed her tail. "Wait!"

She whipped around, eyes flickering with irritation. "What?"

The words poured from his mouth, as though he was a visitor in his own mind. "Meet me here at the next full moon. Please, I really want to see you again."

She didn't even pause. "Ok. See you then, Zirock!"

And with a grin, she leapt through the leaves and over the ridge, out of sight.


	4. Tangled

_**Chapter 3**_

The moon shone brightly through the trees, illuminating everything that moved and practically shouting their presence. A small white she-cat, no older than about four moons, was crouched under a heather bush, her lithe form tensed and ready to run. She waited with a slightly frayed patience, yet an amazing amount for a cat that appeared no more than a kit, really. At last, after a still and prolonged silence, she got what she was waiting for- coverage.

The clouds relented and swept across the blazingly white moon. The she-cat sighed with relief, her muscles relaxing slightly. Then, quick as a rabbit, she took off silently in to the forest.

The grass was wild and potent of animal life; she breathed in deeply, feeling her fur slicked down by the cold air shooting through her. She heard animals burrow deeper in their holes as she flew by, though she barely made a sound. Jubilation bubbled up inside her as she raced through the night, shadows dancing on her white pelt like the darkest fire, and a laugh that sounded like the clearest water burbled up from inside her. She loved this feeling of freedom, of living on the edge. It was beautiful, serene, and yet still its own wild, passionate being, not able to be chained down, not able to be stopped, and willing to fight to the end.

This was Arya.

And nothing was ever going to stop her. She'd be the ruler of the forest someday, she knew it. Nothing would get in her way, nothing at all. Nothing could ever-

WHAMM!

Arya let out a scream as she slammed into something. The thing seemed to scream too as they flipped over and went careening down the hill. She crashed onto her head, her tail, her head, her side, her head… over and over again; she flipped down the hill for what seemed like forever.

At last they rolled to a stop at the bottom.

"Owwww…" The thing moaned. Anya moaned back, in too much pain to form actual words.

At last, her head resurfaced from the painful mist- and she was _very _unhappy with that cat.

"What was that for?" She growled. Gently, she examined an aching paw. Two claws were torn out and one was cracked. Hissing, she put it down on the grass gently, testing to see if it was walkable.

The other mass of fur was twitching slightly. Arya felt a wave of worry come over her. "Are you ok?" She mewed, gently prodding it with a less-sore paw.

The mass rolled over- she gasped in surprise to see that it wasn't a cat she knew. In fact, she'd never seen him before!

It was a tom, about her age, but more muscled and a bit bigger than she was. He had a sleek tortoiseshell pelt and mischievous amber eyes that spoke of times when he'd been quite the clever cat; but now they were dull with pain. His slender tail rustled weakly in the grass and he coughed.

"Yeah…" He rasped. Arya winced at the smell of sickness that soured the air as he spoke. "But I'm really lost… I don't know where I am or where my sister…" He trailed off, as if suddenly realizing that he didn't know this cat. He straightened himself up a little, though wincing in the process.

"I'm Tanglepaw." He coughed. "From Thunderclan."

Arya nodded, though she was unfamiliar with the place and his name. "I'm Arya." She mewed. Then she added quickly, "From the Willoting Gang."

He turned towards her suddenly, his eyes wary.

"Willoting what?"

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_**Sorry to cut it off! I'll update with the next chapter soonish… until then, reviews are welcome!(;**_


	5. What Is Love?

_**Chapter 4**_

Rylie rolled onto her side, flicking her tail anxiously. It was nearly moonhigh, and Blitz wouldn't go to sleep. She was outside, flirting with Adder.

They'd become quite close since the battle, when, evidently Blitz had helped Adder fight a 'humongous, beastly, vicious' tom. Guessing from Blitz's unruffled white pelt, not tainted with a single scratch, after the battle, Rylie and Willow had translated that into Adder fighting valiantly and Blitz occasionally poking the opponent with a sheathed paw then dashing behind Adder, screaming for protection.

As if on cue, Blitz's twinkly laugh rang from outside the den. Evidently Adder had said something funny; or not, knowing Blitz's many tom-catching methods. Rylie smirked to herself as she imagined the snowy-white she-cat flicking her tail flirtatiously and batting her eyelashes at the muscled copper tom in a pathetically simpering way. Disgusting. Her stomach twisted suddenly- would she act that way around Zirock? All seductive and stupid and such? If she did, Rylie might make herself sick…

Rylie was ripped from her pre-date breakdown by Blitz slipping into the den noiselessly. The cream-and-grey she-cat instantly slowed her breathing into sleep while following Blitz's white shape from under her eyelashes.

Thankfully, she didn't notice anything- Her sister was wearing her world-famous 'snag-the-tom' smirk, meaning her mind was stuck on a certain coppery mentor of hers.

If Rylie hadn't been 'asleep', she would have teased Blitz senseless. But instead, she merely sighed drowsily and fidgeted as though dreaming. Her sister stepped tentatively into the nest in between Willow and Rylie, then lay down in the barbed bracken. Soon her breathing lapsed into an exhausted sleep.

The cream-and-grey she-cat next to her, however, remained electrified with excitement. Positive everyone was finally asleep, Rylie rose silently from her own nest and slipped from the den without a sound.

The bracing cold air greeted her. Rylie shivered and bushed up her pelt against the brisk breeze. As usual, Tiger and Wisp were standing guard at the entrance to the camp, a small hole in a rusted out Twoleg machine. The cream-and-grey avoided it pointedly, keeping to the shadows with her back pressed to the tarnished walls of camp. Glancing over her shoulder to make sure she hadn't been seen, Rylie turned and darted into the dirt-area.

Nose wrinkled against the horrid smell, she slid through a tiny space between two jagged pieces of corroded metal and out of the camp.

Instantly, a weight was lifted off of her shoulders- she was free! Filled with enlightenment, Rylie lengthened her stride until she was practically flying over the metal-littered ground. When she reached the border, Rylie flattened herself to the ground and slid under the frayed wire of the chain-link fence. Barely getting grazed by the sharp cables, Rylie was up and bounding into the forest a heartbeat later.

The run was blur- she remembered a crackling sort of excitement running through her whole body. Somehow, Rylie's paws led her straight to Nightstones without thinking and she found herself slowing quietly to a walk only a few feet away from them.

The jagged, blackened stones pierced the dark night sky like claws upon blue fur. Rylie gasped at their ferocious, deathly beauty and stopped to stare at them in awe.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Rylie jumped at the voice. Her fur stood straight up and her claws glinted threateningly in the moonlight. But upon seeing Zirock's grinning face, she relaxed and sheathed them.

"You scared me!" Rylie spat annoyedly.

Zirock flicked her fluffed-up scruff with his tail. "I can see that." He mused cheekily. The cream-and-grey she-cat rolled her eyes, but could not conceal her growing smile.

"Shut up."

"Oh, come on!" Zirock teased her. "You know you love me."

Rylie head-butted him jokingly. "That's why I'm here."

He gently slid his tail under her chin and raised it to face him. His gaze was soft and caring, something Rylie was hardly used to from any Bailey tom.

"Yes, I guess it is."


	6. A Mutual Understanding

"What in the name of Startail were you _thinking, _Arya?" Ice's shrill, angry yowl echoed off the craggy rocks of the Fishing Ravine. Even sitting a full few tail-lengths from the two toms, Anya could hear Wolf's exaggerated sigh at his brother's dramatics; but otherwise, the brawny tomcat didn't remove his focus from the gently rippling surface of the water.

As for Arya, she wrinkled her nose at her noisy companion. "Oh, quit berating me, Ice. What was I supposed to do – leave the poor guy all by himself in the middle of the woods? And just after he'd twisted his paw, too." She shook her head. "I did the right thing, bringing Tanglepaw back to camp. He would have died out there if I'd abandoned him."

This didn't satisfy the lean tabby tom in the least, however. Ice lashed his tail as he paced just below the rock she'd situated herself on; stopping every few seconds to throw a pointedly irritated look in her direction.

"He's a big guy, he could've handled himself!"

The tabby female shot him a scathing look, a cruel comment burning red-hot on the tip of her tongue. Ice had been her friend for years, since they'd been old enough to toss a moss ball. But sometimes she just wanted to _claw that little mousebrain's ears. _Luckily for Ice, Wolf picked that moment to speak up.

"Not to break up this little — anger powwow you two are so delightfully participating in, but wasn't the purpose of this outing to _hunt_?"

Almost immediately, Ice straightened himself, smoothing his fur and lowering his voice back to its usual smooth, self-assured purr.

"Yeah. We need to be back before Sun-Fall or we run the risk of running in with those annoying moony-eyed beasts again."

Arya scrabbled down the sun-warmed side of the stone. Their argument already forgotten, she moved to kneel at waterside; unintentionally brushing flanks with the darker of the tabby brothers. Wolf glanced up at her, a silent assurance in his eyes. _I understand why you did what you did, _they said. Arya found that his striking, yet warm, hazel gaze did strange things to the speed of her pulse.

Ice, forever oblivious and worrisome, suddenly piped up.

"You don't think Ebony will set back your training for this, right? I mean, I know she's kind of stiff about certain things, but she wouldn't be _that _mad, right?"

"I…" The thought honestly hadn't crossed Arya's mind. She'd been so caught up in the adventure, the thrill of meeting a cat from beyond the city, that she hadn't really had time to consider the consequences. Suddenly, the idea of her apprentice training being cut-short sounded very, _very _possible.

Anya's panic must have been tangible because Wolf was quick to nudge his brother's shoulder with his nose. "You're both over thinking it. Remember that Ebony is our _leader_; the very bond that holds us Willowtings together. Not to mention her mate, Nico, was a Junker before he met her. If there's one person who will understand what it's like not having a home, it's her."

He was so sure of himself, that Wolf. Just his convincing, earnest mew would have assured Arya. He even had the paw-wringing Ice nodding slowly in agreement. There was no doubt in her mind that the two brothers would cover her no matter how bad things got.

_Now, if only she could stop those darn butterflies each time they brushed fur… _

"We… hunting." Arya cleared her throat. "We should probably hunt, I mean."

At last breaking gazes with her, the dark tabby tom nodded to his reflection in the undisturbed water. "You're right. It's getting late."

"Yeah. And I still need to whip both your tails at catching fish."

Ice's green eyes sparkled with amusement. "I'd like to see you try!"


End file.
